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Published: October 24th 2005
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Steamin'!
The 'before' photo of our Steamboat feast! Well,... the excitement in the Cameron Highlands wasn't quite over when I’d updated you last...
I went to the internet cafe again that day to talk to mum on-line (Hi mum!) and who should I happen to sit down next to but Sian... a fellow University of Manchester law grad... it's a small world! Anyway, we spent some time catching up and then I met her and her friend Nic again later on for a couple of drinks and something to eat... well, a 'Steamboat' actually. It’s this big pot of soup that simmers over a gas stove at your table and you get presented with a load of raw meat, fish and veg, and you get to throw it all into the soup and it cooks... and tastes delicous!!! It was really just an excuse to keep warm! (The extra chili sauce that they provide also helped!)
Tuesday 18th October
I got on a bus v. early from the Cameron Highlands to go to Ipoh. Then I got a bus from Ipoh to Lumut. Then I got on a ferry from Lumut to go to Pulau Pangkor, a little island just off the west coast of Malaysia...
Home sweet home
Room for a small one?! I was on a mission to find sunnier (and a lot warmer) weather... I hoped it was going to be worth it!
Stepping off the ferry I was happy to discover that it was a lot warmer on the island than it had been in the highlands. I hopped into a pink minibus (its all they have as transport on the island... I like pink!) and asked to go to Teluk Nipah, a bay area on the west side of the island.
Arriving at the accommodation I had chosen out of the Lonely Planet guide book, Nazri Nipah Camp, I was pleasantly surprised that it was half decent (the book sometimes lets me down on this front) So decided that there was very little point in lugging my bag elsewhere and settled into my A-frame hut!
I took a wander out along the beach to see what was going on… well, the answer was, not a lot! Because it is Ramadan here all the food stalls are shut during the day (and even some at night! ARGH! But there is always the corner shop to keep me in crisps and chocolate - phew!)
I sat on
Sittin', swingin'
The beach at Teluk Nipah a swing on the beach for a short time until the tide started to rapidly come in and I thought I was going to get stranded!
Headed out for something to eat that night with a bunch of people from the ‘camp’ to what seemed to be the ONLY place to eat - TJ’s restaurtant - a decent and v. cheap little eatery with a lot of lovely, cute and fluffy kittens :o) I had a Malaysian specialty… chicken Bintang (I think) It consisted of chicken in a thick coconut and spices sauce… v. tasty, with quite a kick!
Wednesday 19th October
The day started well with only a few scattered clouds about, so I headed to the beach! I managed to find myself a nice spot on a deserted stretch of sand and there I lay for about 2 hours… bliss!
But,… I’ve suddenly discovered that I DON’T LIKE SAND! Why is it that it gets everywhere no matter how still you lie!?! And then when you try to brush it off,… it sticks to you, and you end up looking like some bad, cheap, woodchip wallpaper from the 80’s?! Grrr…
My sunbathing
Hornbill
There were LOADS of these 'hornbill' birds crashing about all over the place! session was, however, short lived when, by lunch time, the clouds rolled in and it started to rain. I thought it was time to retire to a hammock with a packet of crisps, chocolate bar and my book! I spent the rest of the afternoon in this position, until I decided that I should get something more substantial than snacks to eat.
Thursday 20th October
Woke suddenly at 5am when I heard something outside frantically scratching at my door! EEEEEEEEeeeek! I was frozen still… it was quite possibly a v. wild animal! When it discovered that the bolt of the door was obviously too tricky for it, it ran the length of my A-frame with its claws scratching down the wood about 2 inches away from me, with only some wood between me and ‘it’ I was v. scared, but it then disappeared. “Phew… close one!” I thought as I dozed off again!
Had a lie in, could hear the rain outside and thought that there was no point in getting up… I would only get wet.
Spent the WHOLE, ENTIRE and COMPLETE day in my hut reading ‘Bravo two zero’ (good book!) I was surprised
Temple 'Disney' style
Lin Je Knog temple, where they have a number of rather 'interesting' statues, including Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck! by how much I actually enjoyed the book, being a ‘blokey’ war theme and everything, but it did make me think in terms of commando missions… The only time I braved the TORRENTIAL rain was when I needed supplies… I established my mission, made a mental note of what my evacuation and escape route would be if it was too wet, packed a bag with essential supplies that would prevent me from getting soaked, or keep me alive if I were to be carried away in a freak gust of wind, noted my FOB and RV point, then I went to the shop and bought crisps, chocolate covered peanuts and chocolate rolls (a wholesome diet!),… Then quickly ran back to continue my book from where I’d left off.
The rain stopped for a short period of time around 4pm. I thought it would do me good to get out (I was starting to get cabin fever… literally!) So I took a wander down the road to a nearby Chinese temple. But this was like no other Chinese temple that I’d seen (and I think I’ve seen them all in this part of South East Asia!) At first glance it looks like all the others,… but upon closer inspection you notice that there are some statues of rather dubious origin and then you begin to wonder what exactly it is that they worship here!? All the same, it was rather interesting and got me out in the fresh air for a bit!
That night I ate alone at TJ’s. I had an absolute feast though! (I can do this when no one is watching!) I had a salad (I felt I needed to go healthy for a bit!) with a delicious satay sauce, with vegetable rice and sweet and sour chicken… yuuuuuummy!
Friday 21st October
Woke v. early and got a pink bus back to the ferry terminal. Repeated the same process that I had done to get here,… only this time, I got a bus to Kuala Lumpur! I was on my way to the Capital!
Just a note to explain the title of this blog...
I got to KL and opened my e-mails (all 44 of them,... there was no interent access on the island) and happened to get an e-mail from my bank... HSBC telling me that it was the 5th Birthday of their personal on-line banking service and that to celebrate they were giving away a holiday to a beautiful, tropical island... Pulau Pangkor... I rubbed my eyes... checked the Lonely Planet guide book... and thought to myself,... hold on, I've just come from there! Going to enter the competition all the same and see if I can go back when the sun is shinning!
Hope you're all well,
Catch up again soon
Clare x
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amy joe n alexander oh n bump
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hi glad 2 hear ur havin such a gr8 time havnt bin on commp much so reading all ur blogs 2getha usually lol. well we r all well 2 now 5mnths gon n finding owt the sex ov our baby on wednesday this week so il let u no cant w8. im so jelous all ur pics r luvly but u shud b eatin betta lol as im sure ur mum dad bro aunties uncles etc hav alredy sed lol.well look afta urself b careful n keep us all posted we all miss u loads n wish u all the best continuously all our luv amy joe alexander n lil bump who will b here 2 greet u on ur return write again soon xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx